Car-coupling.



Patented Sept. 2, I902.

J. E. WADE. cAn COUPLING.

(Application filed Feb. 8, 1900.)

4 TTOHNE) I (No Model.)

Patented Sept. '2, m2 J. E. WADE.

OAR COUPLING.

. (Applicatiumfiied Feb. 8, 1900.) (No Model.)

2 Shee ats-Sheet 2.

ATTORNEY ilNTTnn STnTns PATENT Orrrcnt JOHN E. IVADE, OF BROOKLYN, NEIV YORK.

CAR COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 708,27 5, dated September 2, 1902.

Application filed February 3, 1900. Serial No. 3,910. (No model.)

To (I/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN E.WADE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn borough, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented new and useful Iniprovements in Oar-Couplers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to car-couplers and means of yieldingly supporting them under the car-bodies; and the features of my improvements may be summarized as follows: first, the provision ofguide-horns at each side of a coupler-head to facilitate the operation of coupling upon a curve; second, means normally but yieldingly holding a coupler centrally of the car, but with lateral play.

In the drawings accompanying this application, Figure 1 is a top plan view of a pair of couplers meeting to become coupled upon a curve. Fig. 2 is a cross-section through the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a pair of couplers united upon a curve, and- Fig. 4: is a side elevation.

In the figures, A indicates the usual coupler-head, and B the shank thereof, the latter having an elongated slot b,which encompasses a bolt 0, that is secured to the car-body. The shank B being hollow contains a coiled spring 1), whose end plate Z9 abuts normally against the vertical bolt, and said spring compresses upon the impact of an opposing coupler, thereby lessening the shock. This is the usual expedient. I, however, elongate the slot 19, so that when in normal position a space exists at both sides of bolt 0, giving play in both directions. The space to the rear of bolt C may also contain a coiled spring, as 73 and said space or slack is provided for the purpose of permitting the cars ina long and heavy train to be started moving one by one to ease up the load upon the locomotive in starting. The coupler-shank 13 near its junction with the head is provided at its under side with a socket portion D, in which is placed a ball d, and a plate or slideway E is arranged and supported beneath the coupler in a manner to form a bearing-surface upon which the ball 02 may travel in the sidewise movement of the coupler.

To retain the coupler normally in a central position, the plate E is inclined toward its center, whereby'the weight of the coupler serves to hold it in its proper position; but I prefer to also employ springs G as auxiliary means to retain the coupler normally in a central position, said springs being secured to the sides of the shank and to the slideway and exerting opposite lateral even tension.

Each coupler-head is provided with a pair of outwardly-flared guide-horns, one at each side of the coupler-head, one of the horns being at the top of the coupler and the other at the bottom thereof. Thus II is the usual horn; but it is outwardly curved more than commonly, and it exists only at the lower part of the head. Above said horn H is a bearing or guide surface h, against which upper horn I, extending from the other side of the head portion of an opposing coupler, will glide when met together. Below the horn I in each coupler is a bearing i, against which an opposing horn H will glide, such bearing being, however, the ordinary rounded surface of a coupler-head at the side of its pintle. Now we shall see that when one of my couplers approaches another, the cars being upon a curved rail, the upper horn I of the one coupler will pass over the lower horn H of the other coupler and eachhorn will meet an opposed slide-surface, which will serve to turn the two couplers face on, so that they may come into the coupled position. The coupler knuckle J at the same time entering the head of the opposing coupler of course facilitates the operation of drawing the two heads into a straight line, and the yielding side supports permit the necessary lateral play, enabling a coupling to be effected.

Having now described my invention, I declare that what I claim is-- 1. In a car coupler of the Master Oar- Builders type, a draw-head provided with diagonally opposite approximately vertical guide-surfaces h 'L and forwardly-extended laterally-flared horns above and below said surfaces respectively adapted to engage similar guide-surfaces on an opposing couplerhead whereby said coupler-heads are brought substantially into alinemenb, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a coupler pivoted at) its shank, of a centrally-inclined support- 5 ing-slideway, a friction-ball between the coupler and slideway, and an auxiliary tensional centering-support.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN E. l/VADE. Vitnesses:

ISRAEL ELLIS, L. T. SULLIVAN. 

